Discovering Slovenia’s Hidden Gems with Big Berry

It was just after dawn and I awoke in a wide-eyed, jetlagged state, stirring unusually early to the sound of birds chirping outside my window. I had arrived in Primostek, Slovenia the prior night and was eager to take-in my surroundings in the light of day. From my window, I noticed a group of cows meandering through a lush green field, grazing in the morning sun. I made a cup of coffee and situated myself on the patio, admiring the view of the Kolpa river and the light glimmering off of it through the trees.

Welcome to Big Berry!

Big Berry is a sustainable, eco-friendly resort offering visitors a unique ‘glamping’ experience in the beautiful and quiet countryside — hence their tagline ‘Luxury of Freedom’.

If you are like me and camping is not your thing (real talk: I was scarred for life when a friend once left the tent unzipped and I woke up to 65 mosquito bites), you will probably LOVE glamping. Essentially it’s the best of both worlds: you can get outside and explore mother nature, but still come home to a hot shower and a warm bed.

Located in the Bela Krajina region, Big Berry is easily accessible by car from both Ljubljana and Zagreb international airports. Fun fact: Bela Krajina means “a white land” in Slovenian, and living up to its name, the landscapes are beautifully decorated with white birch trees.

Farm to ‘patio’ Table

Breakfast is locally sourced and delivered straight to your door from nearby farms and small businesses, including freshly baked bread and recently picked strawberries.

In addition to Big Berry’s sustainable partnerships and the beautiful surroundings, it was their emphasis on local experiences customized according to your interests that made all the difference to me.

The team of international staff and interns arranged for me to do two hikes during my stay. Both were so exceptional that I secretly hesitated to share them with the world – I mean, hidden gems are hidden for a reason, amiright?

Slovenia’s Hidden Gems:

Discovering Mirna Gora

The hike up to Mirna Gora is a fairly steep wooded path, gaining approximately 250m elevation. Through the forest, you will find several wooden signs along trees and a place to make impromptu music.

At the top of the climb, the view is worth the effort! It was lightly raining at this point, so we decided to head into the restaurant for a cup of tea.

The owner made us tea with fresh herbs from her garden while we warmed up. When she learned that I was a tourist, she insisted on shutting down the place, so she could personally take us to a nearby meadow area. The meadow is quite beautiful, and you can still see remaining ruins of old houses that once stood in the adjacent forest!

Discovering the Krupa River

At Sodevska Stena, you can hike up to see the Krupa river from a bird’s eye view. The river acts as a natural border between Slovenia and Croatia, and from this viewpoint you can very clearly see into both countries! You can actually drive up most the way, and walk the remaining path (though you will need 4×4 to manage the bumpy road).

In my experience doing both hikes, we were the only ones on the trail! There is nothing I love more than having a place all to myself, so if you are wondering whether these are worth seeing for yourself…100%..and what better place to make your home-base to explore Slovenia’s hidden gems than the Big Berry Resort?